Abstract
An ability to generate and recognize time-series signals should be one of the most important pre-adaptation to language, because such ability is a basis for syntactical manipulation in language. Examples in birdsong, statistical segmentation, and complex behavioral sequencings were discussed. Common neural substrates for these behaviors and also for human language include the prefrontal- basal ganglia loop for motor sequencing. This loop circuit might be polished up by sexual selection in which arbitrary behavioral sequences can have adaptive value by being selected by hetero-sexual individuals. Thus, sexual selection of the prefrontal-basal ganglia pathway might be a key feature for emergence of language.
